title: Cultural frames, qualities of life, and the aging self.
abstract: We used the Self-Concept Enhancement Tactician (SCENT) model to explore whether older Norwegians and Canadians would tactically self-enhance on qualities considered significant within their cultures in their self-perceptions of aging. Qualities were measured using the WHOQOL-BREF and WHOQOL-OLD. Self-perceptions of aging were measured by the Attitudes to Aging Questionnaire. The study is a secondary analysis of data collected in a larger study; 393 older Norwegians and 202 older Canadians were included. The Norwegian and Canadian group self-enhanced their perceptions of psychosocial loss based on harmonious social relationships and being part of a larger social group. For self-perceptions of physical change, both groups self-enhanced on being self-sufficient and being part of a larger social group. Our findings suggest that Norwegians and Canadians are not highly individualistic people and also provide evidence of a bicultural self-perception of aging. Nurses should consider how cultural and individual perspectives affect the care priorities of older people.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Molzahn
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kalfoss
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D003469:Culture; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Canada; Norway; culture; group comparisons; self-perceptions of aging